Department for Transport

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to outlaw pavement parking throughout England;and whether the responses to their consultation on such parking have been in favour of its ban.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government intends to carry out a public consultation later in the year, on possible solutions to the complex pavement parking problem. The consultation will fill evidence gaps, seek views on specific options that were raised by the Transport Select Committee and call for alternative ideas. Ministers will take decisions on next steps in the light of the consultation responses.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Contracts: Quintessentially

lord macpherson of earl's court: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the written answer byViscount Younger of Leckie of 18 March (HL2228), whether Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministers or their special advisers were aware of the involvement of Quintessentially in the 2016 competitive tender exercise managed by UK Shared Business Services prior to the awarding of the contract.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The FCO awards and manages its Commercial Contracts in accordance with Government Commercial Function best practice and regularly assesses the maturity of our Commercial operations against the Commercial Operating Standards. This contract is held by the Department For International Trade (DIT).

Iran: Arms Trade

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the forthcoming expiration of the UN-imposed arms embargo on Iran in October 2020 on stability in the Middle East and the security of UK allies.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) is a reciprocal deal: it lifts sanctions in exchange for tough nuclear limits. Iran has broken the nuclear limits in the JCPoA and we are working to bring Iran back into compliance through the deal's Dispute Resolution Mechanism.UNSCR 2231, which underpins the JCPoA, includes a number of clauses designed to allow sanctions to expire on fixed dates: the UN conventional arms embargo is due to expire in October 2020. We have repeatedly set out concerns about Iranian destabilising behaviour, including proliferation to non-state actors. UNSCRs 1540, 2216 and 1701, which prohibit the proliferation of weapons to the Houthis and Lebanese Hizballah, will remain in place after the arms embargo expires. The EU arms embargo and UN ballistic missile restrictions will also remain in place until 2023. We are consulting partners on the broader implications of arms embargo expiry and encourage all states to implement national export control best practice.

Human Rights: Coronavirus

lord hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of the effect of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic by governments overseas on human rights standards in those countries.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by reports that some governments are using the current crisis to fail to comply with their human rights obligations. On 9 April, the UK participated in the UN Human Rights Council's first ever virtual conversation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Discussion focused on the human rights implications of the COVID-19 crisis; both the immediate impact of the response on human rights around the world, and the social and economic consequences, including the prospect of greater inequality. In his statement to the Council, our Ambassador to the UN in Geneva stressed the importance of ensuring that parliaments, media and civil society all play their role to scrutinise the actions of governments and international agencies, and that we make use of the international human rights frameworks. The British Government remains committed to standing up for human rights and the rule of law in all circumstances.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Houseboats

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what health advicehas been provided to those living on boats during the COVID-19 pandemic; and how that advice is being made available.

lord bethell: The Government takes the welfare of all our citizens seriously and we are working hard to ensure people who need help to do so are identified, supported and enabled to take necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus.All the latest information and guidance for the public is available on the GOV.UK website. The current general advice is that everyone should stay at home except in very limited circumstances, practise social distancing and follow handwashing guidance.We are constantly evaluating what more we can do to support different groups in society that have particular needs or face particular challenges.COVID-19 health guidance for members of Gypsy, Traveller and Boater communities is currently in development for dissemination in a range of formats.

Coronavirus: Intensive Care

baroness manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients diagnosed with COVID-19 have needed intensive care since 1 March; of those, how many have needed breathing assistance from respirators; how long each of those patients spent in intensive care; and how many such patients (1) recovered, (2) died, and (3) are still in intensive care.

lord bethell: Data is not available in the format requested. Data relating to the COVID-19 response is published online on a monthly basis via statistical work areas on the NHS England website.

Coronavirus: Ethnic Groups

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the review by the NHS and Public Health England on the impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities; and what data they will publish before that review is completed.

lord bethell: Public Health England (PHE) has been asked by the Chief Medical Officer to review the potential that some ethnic minority groups are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The findings of the Review will be published at the end of May.NHS England publishes data of deaths broken down by ethnicity and PHE is planning to include data by ethnicity in its weekly COVID-19 surveillance report.

Charities: Coronavirus

baroness bakewell of hardington mandeville: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to support charities, in particular those that support the NHS, who have experienced a loss of income at the same time as an increased demand for services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: On 8 April 2020 the Chancellor announced £750 million to support the charity sector in response to COVID-19. This fund comprises three elements:- £360 million will be allocated by central Government to charities in England based on evidence of service need.- £370 million will support charities working with vulnerable people. In England, this support will be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund.- The Government will match the public donations to the BBC Big Night In fundraising event that took place on 23 April, starting with a contribution of at least £20 million to the National Emergencies Trust appeal.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they planto develop a national COVID-19 test and tracing system; how that system will operate; how that systemwill be held accountable for its work; and what will be the role of local Directors of Public Health and related professionals.

lord bethell: We are developing a new test and trace programme which will bring together an app, expanded web and phone-based contact tracing, and swab testing for those with potential COVID-19 symptoms.If someone installs the National Health Service COVID-19 app, it will start logging the distance between their phone and other phones nearby that also have the app installed. It measures this distance using a form of Bluetooth that is less energy hungry than normal Bluetooth. This log of proximity information will be stored securely on the person’s phone. If a person becomes unwell with symptoms of COVID-19, they can report this to the NHS via the app which will mean that other app users who have come into significant contact with that person over the previous few days can be alerted and provided with advice if appropriate.The first phase of the app rollout is taking place on the Isle of Wight. This will ensure the app is functioning as expected and will help us to see how it works best alongside the web and phone-based systems and to ensure that it dovetails with the testing programme.Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the Department’s response to COVID-19, including the test and trace programme.Directors of Public Health and their teams will be key to the local delivery of the test and trace programme.

Organs: Donors

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that COVID-19 poses to recipients of kidney transplants.

lord bethell: Public safety throughout this period has been the Government’s top priority. Patients who have had a kidney transplant, along with other patients who have had solid organ transplants and remain on long-term immune suppression therapy, have been classified as clinically extremely vulnerable. All transplant recipients have received information about what steps they should take to make sure they remain shielded and how they will continue to receive healthcare and support.Work is underway with the transplant community to support clinicians’ understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic in transplant recipients. Research is looking at links to specific anti-rejection medication, comorbidity and other factors that predict hospitalisation and subsequent patient outcomes. International collaboration is well established to share experience and learning about the impact of COVID-19 on transplanted patients.

NHS: Computer Software

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their track and trace app is accessible to blind and partially sighted people, including those who use screen reading technology.

lord bethell: We continue to work to ensure the National Health Service COVID-19 app is compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. We are committed to regular audits of the app by independent specialist assessors to conduct usability testing of the app, including dedicated research to solely focus on accessibility. We have published an Accessibility Statement, which will be kept under review and updated as necessary.

Department for International Development

International Assistance: Coronavirus

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what international responses they are initiating with partners in the UN to provide assistance to those states which are the least prepared to address the health and economic crises arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness sugg: We are using UK aid to its full effect to counter the health, humanitarian, and economic risks and impacts of COVID-19. The UK strongly supports the United Nations Global Humanitarian Response Plan and continues to work with international partners, including the United Nations and its agencies, to ensure aid reaches those most in need.Up to £744 million of UK aid funding has been committed so far to support the global efforts to combat COVID-19. Of that, £145 million is for United Nations appeals, including:£75 million for the World Health Organization;£20 million for UNICEF and £5 million to Education Cannot Wait to help refugee, migrant and displaced children proving basic suppliers and lessons;£20 million for the UN Refugee Agency providing access to handwashing stations and drinking water for displaced people;£15 million for the World Food Programme; and£10 million to United Nations Population Fund to provide lifesaving sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender-based violence prevention.The UK is also providing up to £150 million of UK aid funding which will go the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust to help developing countries meet their debt repayments so that they can focus their available resources on tackling COVID-19.

Ministry of Justice

Marriage

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on their commitment in the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper, published 14 March 2018, to "explore the legal and practical challenges of limited reform relating to the law on marriage and religious weddings".

lord keen of elie: The Government continues the exploration of both limited reform and non-legislative options that it began in detail last Spring. We are doing so with the greatest care. Any proposals affecting how religious groups are permitted to conduct marriages must be thoroughly assessed for their fairness to all religious groups and for how far they could achieve the change of practice intended.

Prisoners' Release: Coronavirus

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners they have so far released, temporarily or permanently, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; how many were pregnant women; and what is their response to the Prison Governors Association’s call for the release of 15,000 prisoners.

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their criteria for the temporary or permanent release of prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord keen of elie: On 31 March, we announced that pregnant women and prisoners with their babies in custody will be considered for Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) on compassionate grounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Friday 1 May, 21 pregnant women and mothers with babies in custody have been released. On 4 April, we announced the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme. This scheme enables risk-assessed prisoners, who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released from custody, as part of the national approach to managing public services during this challenging period. As of Friday 1 May, 30 offenders have been released under this scheme. Policy and guidance for both the End of Custody Temporary Release and COVID-19: Use of Compassionate ROTL can be found on gov.uk and is attached with this answer. HMPPS took decisive action in March to restrict regimes and minimise movements between jails to save lives. Strong further measures were introduced to ease pressure on prisons with the early release of low-risk offenders, temporary expansion of the estate, and work to reduce the number of those held on remand.Latest modelling informed by new Public Health England advice shows that creating headroom of c. 5,000 could be effective in limiting the spread of the virus. The population has already reduced by almost 3,000 over a seven-week period. Combining a reduction in the prison population, creating additional headroom in the estate, and managing prisoners through ‘compartmentalisation’, HMPPS can continue to protect life.The modelling can be found on gov.uk and is also attached with this answer.



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Prisoners' Release: Hotels

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to accommodate people released from prison in hotels.

lord keen of elie: In response to the current unprecedented situation, the Government has announced that risk-assessed prisoners who are within two months of their release date will be temporarily released from jail.Prisoner releases are being phased over time to ensure stringent risk assessments can be carried out and that the required support for offenders is in place. No prisoner will be released without housing and health support being in place.If an individual does not have identified accommodation to be released to, then probation services will investigate options for securing temporary accommodation.To facilitate this process, we are working with several public, private and voluntary sector providers to secure a range of accommodation options.

Legal Profession

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of lawyers who have been asked to continue working despite being furloughed.

lord keen of elie: The Government has not made any assessment of the number of lawyers who have been asked to continue working despite being furloughed. Under the framework established by the Legal Services Act 2007, the legal services profession in England and Wales, and the bodies that regulate it, are independent of Government. The legal services regulators are able to take action if lawyers or law firms breach conduct rules.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Affordable Housing Commission Making Housing Affordable Again: Rebalancing the Nation’s Housing System, published in March; and what estimate they have made of the number of properties in which second home owners falsely claim to liveto avoid council tax.

lord greenhalgh: The Government agrees that we need to maximise the supply of new affordable housing and make sure that more people in housing need can have access to a good quality social home.  We announced at Budget 2020 that we are investing £12bn to build affordable homes between 2021/22 and 2025/26. This will be the biggest cash investment in affordable housing for a decade.All second homes are liable for council tax, subject to any discounts which the council may apply locally, regardless of whether they are occupied. 95% of properties that are classed as second homes are charged the full rate.

Local Government Finance: Coronavirus

baroness thornhill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe scale of the loss of income incurred by local authorities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what steps they intend to take to assistlocal authorities financially.

lord greenhalgh: The department has engaged closely with councils from across the country, and across different tiers, since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Allocations of the additional £1.6 billion support for councils to respond to COVID-19 were announced on Tuesday 28 April. This is a significant package of support which responds to the range of pressures councils have told us they are facing, and takes the total amount provided to local councils to over £3.2 billion.

Private Rented Housing: Natural Gas

baroness pinnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have provided to landlords about fulfilling the statutory obligation to conduct gas safety checks on properties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord greenhalgh: Government advice to landlords and tenants may be found (attached) at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876500/Consolidated_Landlord_and_Tenant_Guidance_COVID_and_the_PRS_v4.2.pdfLandlords should make every effort to abide by statutory gas safety obligations. However, we recognise that the current restrictions may be making it harder to carry out these checks. There are provisions in the regulations for landlords to account for situations in which they cannot carry out inspections, however they must demonstrate they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with the law. Recognising the concern among landlords, residents and inspectors, on 7 April 2020, HSE published further guidance setting out detailed advice for a range of scenarios. This can be found (attached) here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/landlords/Our guidance is clear that no work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless the work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household. Where entry is required for emergency repairs landlords should take every possible step to minimise contact with residents and follow government guidance on tradespeople working in people homes, which may be found (attached) at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance



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Social distancing
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Ministry of Defence

Veterans UK: Telephone Services

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Veterans UK Helpline has been suspended; and what assessment they have made of the impact this may have on veterans, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness goldie: The Veterans UK helpline has not been suspended. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, Veterans UK services are, as far as possible being delivered remotely. Whilst the helpline is not able to handle telephony enquiries, the helpline contains recorded service information on key subject areas, and all veterans are still able to submit enquiries via email. A written reply or call-back is made by Veterans UK staff and where welfare support is required, these are referred to the Veterans Welfare Service. More than 4,000 people have been helped in this way since 23 March 2020.  All planned Veterans Welfare Service and Defence Transition Services contact with clients is being maintained, and alternative methods are utilised rather than face to face visits, unless deemed absolutely essential.

War Pensions: Coronavirus

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on processing War Pension Scheme and War Widow(er) Pension applications.

baroness goldie: All of the existing 470,000 War Pensions, War Widows Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments are continuing to be made as usual into nominated bank accounts, and all requests for welfare support are being met, the same day where at all possible. With staff working remotely, it has been necessary to pause some compensation scheme administration casework on new claims, appeals and reviews. Many files, some dating back to World War II, exist only as paper records and access to office-based IT systems are needed to process this work. Where a possibility of financial hardship is identified by the Veterans Welfare Service, a small team is in place to take action on urgent payments where the case evidence needed to do so is available. UK Veterans staff review the situation daily in order to resume as full a level of service as possible within the current restrictions.

Warships: Shipbuilding

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether surface warship and submarine shipbuilding is continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness goldie: It is crucial that defence operations and programmes, on which our national security relies, continue uninterrupted. We are working closely with our industry partners to ensure that essential work in the shipyards continues while adhering to the latest safety guidelines to protect the workforce. Where specific work is required, instructions have been implemented locally by management to confirm that due consideration and briefing has been put in place to manage the risk in an appropriate way, protect employees and ensure priority activities are still undertaken as far as is possible.

Africa: Peacekeeping Operations

the lord bishop of worcester: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have put in place to deal with the potential transmission of COVID-19 to civilians among UK military personnel and staff deployed to UN peacekeeping missions in Africa.

baroness goldie: We continue to work closely with the UN to support a coordinated approach to limiting the spread of COVID-19, including from UN peacekeepers to local populations. The UK and all other nations contributing to peacekeeping missions have implemented additional measures to prevent the spread of the virus. While not an exhaustive list, these include a reduction in rotations and deployments of military personnel, pre-deployment quarantine of personnel, mission-led processes for isolating those suspected of contracting the virus, and changes to the level and means of interaction between peacekeepers and local populations.

Shipbuilding: Coronavirus

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to accelerating shipbuilding programmes in the UK to assist with economic revival following the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness goldie: The Secretary of State for Defence continues to work closely with the maritime industry in his capacity as Shipbuilding Tsar. Current Government shipbuilding programmes are progressing, with the shipbuilding industry following Government social distancing guidance. Future shipbuilding plans remain under close review.

Astute Class Submarines

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the commissioning datesare for (1) HMS Audacious, and (2) Astute hulls 5, 6 and 7.

baroness goldie: HMS AUDACIOUS was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 3 April 2020. The commissioning dates for the remaining Astute Class submarines are yet to be determined.

Home Office

Asylum: Finance

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will credit the Aspen cards for asylum seekers with more than one week’s allowance at a time.

baroness williams of trafford: We are currently reviewing the level of the cash allowances, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers.

Cabinet Office

Brexit

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had with the devolved administrations in preparation for their post-Brexit trade negotiation meetings with the European Commission in the week beginning 20 April.

lord true: We are committed to working closely with the devolved administrations throughout negotiations to secure a future relationship that works in the interests of the whole of the UK. The Cabinet Office is leading work across Whitehall to ensure the devolved administrations are engaged in key stages of the negotiations.

Death

lord dobbs: To ask Her Majesty's Government what analysis they have undertaken into the estimated number of non-COVID-19 related deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic; whether any such analysis shows an increase in that number; what assessment they have made of the causes for any such increase; and what plans they have to publish any such analysis.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Dobbs,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what analysis has been undertaken into the estimated number of non-COVID-19 related deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic; whether any such analysis shows an increase in that number; what assessment they have made of the causes for any such increase; and what plans they have to publish any such analysis (HL3372).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing weekly numbers of deaths registered in England and Wales. The most recent annual figures published are for deaths registered in 2018[1], however we do publish provisional weekly death registrations which are currently published for deaths registered up to 24 April 2020[2]. National Records Scotland (NRS) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) are responsible for publishing the number of deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.Cause of death is defined using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (ICD-10). Deaths involving COVID-19, which refers to deaths where COVID-19 is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, are identified by the ICD-10 codes U07.1 and U07.2.Table 1 shows the provisional number of deaths registered each week in England and Wales up to 24 April 2020, broken down by deaths involving COVID-19 and deaths not involving COVID-19. This table also includes the 5-year average for number of deaths. The data shows that the overall increase in deaths compared to the 5-year average is not solely due to deaths involving COVID-19.The ONS is publishing a report on the increase in non-COVID-19 deaths observed in weekly deaths statistics, in coming weeks. This is mentioned in the ONS’s statement of upcoming analysis on deaths and coronavirus (COVID-19)[3]. The report will analyse how the number of non-COVID-19 deaths occurring in different places of death, for different age groups and for different causes of death differ from previous years’ data, and will suggest how these findings correspond with possible reasons for the increase.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Number of deaths registered by week, England and Wales, 28 December 2019 to 24 April 2020[4][5][6]WeekAll deaths - 2020COVID-19Non-COVID-19All deaths - 5-year average112,254012,25412,175214,058014,05813,822312,990012,99013,216411,856011,85612,760511,612011,61212,206610,986010,98611,925710,944010,94411,627810,841010,84111,548910,816010,81611,1831010,895010,89511,4981111,019511,01411,2051210,64510310,54210,5731311,14153910,60210,1301416,3873,47512,91210,3051518,5166,21312,30310,5201622,3518,75813,59310,4971721,9978,23713,76010,458Source: Office for National Statistics[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/deathsregisteredinenglandandwalesseriesdrreferencetables[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending24april2020[3]https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/statementofupcominganalysisondeathsandcoronaviruscovid19[4]Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes U07.1, U07.2[5]Figures are based on deaths registered up to 24 April 2020[6]All figures for 2020 are provisional

Death: Coronavirus

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are recording deaths due to COVID-19 by age; if so, when they will release this information to assist in research modelling; and if not, why not.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Kennedy,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking whether deaths due to COVID-19 by age are being recorded and if so, when this information will be released to assist in research modelling; and if not why (HL3407).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes mortality data that are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. This includes information on the cause of death, such as COVID-19, and the age of the deceased.The ONS are responsible for producing a weekly report on the provisional number of deaths registered in England and Wales including deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19)[1]. As part of this report, data is published for death registrations and death occurrences where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate by five-year age bands. This weekly report gets published every Tuesday at 9.30am with the data available to be used for research purposes.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/previousReleases

Death: Coronavirus

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the date by which they will have robust data on the number of deaths from COVID-19 that occur outside of hospitals.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Mawson,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking for the date by which robust data on the number of deaths from COVID-19 that occur outside of hospitals will be available (HL3417).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for producing a weekly report on the provisional number of deaths registered in England and Wales including deaths involving the coronavirus (COVID-19)[1]. As part of this report, data is published for deaths registered where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate by place of occurrence, which includes places outside of hospitals such as care homes or the home of the deceased. Additionally, on 28 April, the ONS published data from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on the number of deaths in care homes involving COVID-19[2]. Going forward, data from the CQC will be published alongside the weekly report.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/previousReleases[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/numberofdeathsincarehomesnotifiedtothecarequalitycommissionengland

Databases: Coronavirus

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of data collection across the UK in respect of COVID-19; and whether they have identified any regional variability in the quality of data collection processes.

lord true: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Mawson,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what assessments have been made of the accuracy of data collection across the UK in respect to Covid-19, and any regional variability in the data collection processes (HL3420).In my role as National Statistician, I have a responsibility to ensure the presentation of all data and analysis across Government is useful, transparent about its caveats, and of a high quality. Trustworthy, coherent and relevant data and statistics to support democratic decision-making is as important now as ever. As part of our response to Covid-19, we are working to ensure that the UK has the vital information needed to respond to the impact of this pandemic on our economy and society. I have been pleased with the response of colleagues in stepping up to that challenge by adapting data collection methods and sources, and publishing relevant, timely information. It is a strength of the UK statistical system that we provide equality of access to data on which important decisions will rely.Data collection processes feeding into the production of evidence to support the response to COVID-19 are monitored, and any reports of differences in data collection investigated. Currently there are a very small number of those investigations ongoing. Those investigations would not have an impact on ONS weekly deaths statistics, which remain the most complete source of information.The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has also been helpful in adapting processes for assessing accuracy and coherence of statistics during this crisis. These steps further enhance the trustworthiness of the statistical system’s response.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Leisure: Wales

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support they are making available to (1) the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, (2) the National Eisteddfod of Welsh, (3) the Urdd National Eisteddfod, and (4) the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts,following their cancellation in 2020.

baroness barran: Culture is classed as a devolved competency and organisations should look at the support being provided by the relevant Government in the Devolved Authorities. In addition to the support provided by the UK Government, the Welsh Government has announced almost £2 billion of support for businesses in Wales (https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/). The Arts Council of Wales has also established the Arts Resilience Fund which provides financial support to artists and cultural organisations so they may survive this crisis and to find ways of getting back on their feet (https://arts.wales/funding/coronavirus).

Charities: Coronavirus

baroness bakewell of hardington mandeville: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support charities, such as Coeliac UK, who are providing information to patients with dietary conditions; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the loss of income and the increase in demand for such charities’ services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

baroness barran: I recognise that many charities such as Coeliac UK are experiencing some particular pressures as a result of loss of income as a result of Covid 19, while demand for their services is unchanged or even increasing. The voluntary sector is playing a vital role in providing services for vulnerable people, and will continue to be an important vehicle for the UK’s Covid-19 response. I thank Coeliac UK for continuing to work closely with gluten free food industry contacts to understand how coronavirus might affect the production and supply of gluten free food to make sure that the safety of people with coeliac disease is maintained. In response to the pressures faced by charities and voluntary organisations a package of grant funds worth £750 million was announced on 8 April to support charities at risk of financial hardship. This is a substantial package of targeted support for charities on the frontline of responding to Coronavirus. £360 million is coming directly from government departments, and £370 million will be provided for smaller charities, including through a grant to the National Lottery Community Fund. More information on this second tranche of funding More details will be released in the coming days via the National Lottery Community Fund. The aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible. Charities also have access to cross-cutting support already announced including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which enables them to furlough staff, and a three-month VAT deferral.